1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system, and in particular to a method and apparatus for handling a request for content. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for handling a request for content, which may originate from different content providers.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet, also referred to as an “internetwork”, is a set of computer networks, possibly dissimilar, joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from protocols of the sending network to the protocols used by the receiving network (with packets if necessary). When capitalized, the term “Internet” refers to the collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols.
The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of both information and entertainment. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of online public records may reduce operating costs. Further, the Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a medium for commercial transactions.
Currently, the most commonly employed method of transferring data over the Internet is to employ the World Wide Web environment, also called simply “the Web”. Other Internet resources exist for transferring information, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Gopher, but have not achieved the popularity of the Web. In the Web environment, servers and clients effect data transaction using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a known protocol for handling the transfer of various data files (e.g., text, still graphic images, audio, motion video, etc.). The information in various data files are formatted for presentation to a user by a standard page description language, the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). In addition to basic presentation formatting, HTML allows developers to specify “links” to other Web resources identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A URL is a special syntax identifier defining a communications path to specific information. Each logical block of information accessible to a client, called a “page” or a “Web page”, is identified by a URL. The URL provides a universal, consistent method for finding and accessing this information, not necessarily for the user, but mostly for the user's Web “browser”. A browser is a program capable of submitting a request for information identified by an identifier, such as, for example, a URL. A user may enter a domain name through a graphical user interface (GUI) for the browser to access a source of content. The domain name is automatically converted to the Internet Protocol (IP) address by a domain name system (DNS), which is a service that translates the symbolic name entered by the user into an IP address by looking up the domain name in a database.
Currently, requests for content are handled by services designed for each particular type of content source. For example, Domino provides integrated application services-such as security, workflow and content management-optimize the platform for rapid delivery of the collaborative Web applications you need to initiate and strengthen key business relationships. Domino is available from International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). Another content source may employ an Internet Information Server (IIS), which is a Web server system available from Microsoft Corporation. Currently, each of these types of content sources require a separate set of processes to process requests and deliver content, such as Web pages. Each service also may provide features, such as electronic mail and security. Many times, a customer may use a different type of content source to serve or provide Web applications. The customer often requires a consistent look and feel regardless of the type of content source. This requirement often involves duplication of common services and infrastructure. When a customer has more than one type of content source, such as a Domino system and a DB2 system, changes made to the look and feel within one content source system require similar changes to be made to other content source system.
Further, often times a customer will have different developers create or modify content. It is often difficult a desired presentation with different developers handling the content creation and modification. Currently, the content has to be reviewed and changes may have to be made to maintain a consistent presentation of content from the content source.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method and apparatus for maintaining a desired presentation of content from multiple content sources.